A young mother sat in silence as she stared at the vision chart in front of her. She had come with her two toddlers for the health testing offered by Global Brigades in Honduras. As her silence wore on, it became apparent that she wasn't reading the vision chart because she couldn't see even the largest letters.
"It turned out she was nearly blind," said Ann Garton, DNP, St. Ambrose University Global Brigades advisor. "We had to stack three pairs of donated glasses on top of each other to allow her to see at all. She could see her children's faces for the first time."
The Honduran woman left with a referral for a free pair of glasses and the promise of a profoundly changed life. Despite the immensity of the moment, there was no time to reflect. There were many more in line seeking medical, dental, and optometry care.
Across three days in March 2024, a team of 20 – including seven St. Ambrose students – worked alongside Honduran health care providers and community health workers. During that time, the team triaged 267 people for illness, wound care, and other medical issues; provided dental care to 244 individuals; and provided optometry care to another 149, many of whom had vision impairments impacting their daily lives. Then, the Global Brigades team helped build home sanitation facilities for an additional three days.
Global Brigades
Global Brigades began in 2003 as a passion project of students at Marquette University and has expanded to include more than 500 chapters across the globe. In partnership with local communities in Central America, Europe, and Africa to achieve their own health and economic goals, Global Brigades focuses on business, engineering, medicine, and public health.
Garton, director of the St. Ambrose Institute for Person-Centered Care, was an early adopter of the Global Brigades TeleBrigades program which began when the COVID-19 pandemic halted all in-country experiences.
"Our Nursing Population Health class virtually visits Honduras every semester via TeleBrigades now," she said. "Students work alongside Honduran providers in telehealth appointments and educate Honduran community health workers on public health concepts."
When in-country experiences resumed post-pandemic, seven students – six studying nursing and one studying social work and Spanish – embarked on St. Ambrose's first Global Brigades trip to Honduras. They joined with the New York/Vermont Global Brigades chapter – NYVT Nurses Unite – to meet the minimum 20 team member requirement.
Enduring hiccups to make a difference
The conditions in rural Honduras are different from what students experience in their everyday lives; no running water, intense heat, and individuals lacking basic health care.
“Students saw with their own eyes how a lack of dental care, eye care, and sanitation impacts a population’s overall wellness,” Garton said. “You can't go to work with a mouthful of decaying teeth."
Julia Beltz ’25 says she and her classmates knew this trip would be challenging. What they didn't know was just how meaningful it would be to empower and enhance individuals’ wellness through the resources and education they provided.
"A big part of what I did during the medical half of our trip was education," the double major in social work and Spanish said. "As the only St. Ambrose Spanish speaker, I was asked to translate a lot. I could really talk with people."
Beltz helped teach children how to brush their teeth, a practice often not prioritized because of barriers to dental hygiene supplies. "We put dentures into the mouths of stuffed animals to practice. The kids loved it. We also read books and played a lot of games while their parents received health care. It was very hot and very dry with very little shade; exhausting. Each day was so different and had a hiccup."
One hiccup Beltz encountered as significant as the inescapable heat was the realization that the mothers she was speaking with knew nothing about mental health.
"I asked the mothers how much they slept a night, and most averaged four to five hours. I asked them what they did when they needed a break from their children, and they said they cleaned the house. I asked if they knew help was available from traveling providers, and they didn't. They didn't even know what mental health was. I thought, ‘How can I give advice if they don't even know these things?’ It hurt me deeply to know they were so clearly in need yet without resources or knowledge.
"As soon as I could, I found Ann and broke down. She put her hand on my arm and said, ‘That's why we are here, Julia; to learn what gaps we can fill. You are translating and identifying the need for us. What you are doing is important and will lead to their success.’ When she told me that, I splashed water on my face and got back to work. It was a hard day, but I discovered my interest in public health because of it."
The courage to just do it
Choosing to serve in an underserved country like Honduras takes a certain fortitude. No matter how many videos you watch or articles you read, you can't really know what to expect.
"It takes courage for students to go outside their comfort zone," Garton says. "It's true as well for parents who support their children's desire to go, for St. Ambrose's leadership to encourage the new program, and for the Honduran community to welcome us."
Garton says the payback is inestimable. "The students learn so much. They learn not to go in to rescue people but to work in solidarity with them. To respect their desires and culture. This makes the work holistic and sustainable, helping ensure it is continued after we leave."
The students learn even more about themselves.
"The lessons I learned feed me," Beltz said. "Like how all kinds of people can work together to accomplish something spectacular. I experienced so much growth and joy."
Both women want to emphasize the value each type of student brings to Global Brigades, no matter what discipline.
"I felt inadequate at first, standing next to a line of health and human service providers and nursing students," Beltz said. "But everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I felt at home quickly. Anyone with a heart for service can attend a Global Brigade and make an impact to improve the daily lives of people around the world."
Garton urges all students to consider the program. "We need health and human service students, engineers, and communications majors. It's open to everyone."
Students don’t have to travel across the globe to make an impact. After last spring’s service trip, the participating students created a St. Ambrose Global Brigades Chapter. The group will fundraise to support local providers, public health workers, and families on the ground in Global Brigades communities. They will also plan future service trips to Honduras.
